Ironing machine



1,628,996 May 17, 1927- c. E. REDDIG IRONING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1922 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 F/yz/ 1927 c. E. REDDIG IRONING MACHINE Filed March 9. 1922 2 h..t;.. sh,.+. 2

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,628,996 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. REDDIG, OF KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, INGOBPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

IRONING MACHINE.

Application filed March 9, 1922. Serial No. 542,200.

This invention relates to ironing machines and particularly to machines of the domes tic type employed in households and small laundries.

The general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ironing machine, having an ironing roll and a movable ironing shoe, which is simple in construction and efficient and safe in' operation. Among the characteristic features of the invention are a supporting frame for the ironing roll which is of novel and unique design, and which is adapted to support the roll at both ends and still leave at least one end entirely free and accessible for use in ironing small articles, such as rufiles and collars, which are not readily ironed by the ordinary ironing machine; and an improved arrangement whereby the ironing shoe is yieldingly and removably held in cooperative engagement with the ironing roll and is adapted to be moved toward and away from the roll by means of a treadle which imparts motion to a new and improved means entirely independ ent of a hand control, with which the machine is also equipped, and so connected to the ironing shoe as to greatly facilitate its operation. Both the hand and foot control mechanism for the ironing shoe are so constructed and arranged on the framework of the machine, as not to obstruct free access to one end of the ironing roll.

Other objects and features of the invention, and. the particular arrangement of parts which is t ought most desirable, will appear from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of an ironing machine of the roll and shoe type, embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the:1 upper portion of the ironing machine; an

Fig. 3 is another side elevation of the upper portion of the machine showing the ironing shoe in a non-operative position.

Referring to the drawings, the various arts of the ironing machine are supported y lower frames 5, rigidly connected together by rods 6, which are threaded near their ends and carry nuts 7, which cooperate with the outsides and insides of the frames 5. A pair of upper supporting frames 8 and 9 are mounted on the lower frame 5 by means of suitable bolts 10. The upper frames 8 and 9- are adapted for supporting the ironing roll and shoe and are in reality mere skeleton frames which, when the roll and shoe are in place, leave all the parts thereof entirely exposed and readilyaccessible, as hereafter described in detail. In the embodiment shown in the drawing the upper frames 8 and 9 take a form somewhat like the letter U, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular arrangement, this design being employed to render accessible as much of the end of an ironing roll 11 as possible. The ironing roll 11, Which may be covered with layers of fabric or felt in the usual manner, is rigidly secured to a shaft 12 which is journaled in fixed bearings near the top of the frames 8 and 9. Cooperating'with the ironing roll 11 is an ironing shoe 14, which may be of any suitable kind. Projecting from the bottom of the shoe 14 at each end thereof are integral arms 15, having at their ends elliptical holes into which project suitable pins mounted in the frames 8 and 9. This loose pivotal mounting is employed so that the surface of the shoe 14 is permitted to adapt itself'to the contour of the ironing roll. Extending longitudinally through the shoe 14 is a gas burner pipe 16 having the usual row of holes therein from which the gas escapes and burns for the purpose of heating the working wall of the shoe. A link 17 is rigidly mounted on the pipe 16 outside of each end of the ironing shoe. Extending from each of the links 17 in a general upward direction are arms 18 which, at their outer ends are connected by a bar 19, adapted to be grasped by the operator. Near the extreme end of the frames 8 and 9 are pivotally mounted springs 20, which serve to exert the desired amount of pressure on the shoe 14 to hold the same yieldingly in engagement with the ironing roll 11. Each spring 20 surrounds a rod 21, one end of which is loosely secured to a pin 22 on the link 17 and the other end of which is adjustably mounted in a swivel stud 23 on the upper supporting frame and is held in the desired posltion therein by means of a nut 24. Each spring 20 may be thus adjusted to the proper tension, and is adapted to force'its associated link 17 into engagement with a pin 25 on the shoe 14 to hold the latter in engagement with the roll 11.

For controlling the movement of the shoel l toward and away from the ironing roll 11, there is also provided a treadle 26 extending the full width of the machine and supported on suitable lever arms 27, which may be pivoted to the frame as at 28. This treadle is connected at each end by means of a rod 29 to a depending arm 15 of the shoe 14, by means of .a toggle link 30, the forked end 31 of which straddles a pin 32 on the arm 15 to permit the shoe 14 to move readily in its elliptical hearing. A coil spring 33 is employed to join the rod 29 with the upper part of the lower frame 5 in order to normally hold the treadle in an elevated position and to give it a spring-like movement. It

will be apparent that due to this construc-' tion, the shoe may be operated by the hand lever without affecting the toggle mechanism, thus enabling the hand mechanism to be easily moved.

Hinged to the main frame 5 is a delivery board 34 which is held by any suitable means (not shown) in various adjustable positions. At the upper front end of the machine there is provided a reversible feed table 35 equipped on one side with a padded surface for use in hand ironing. This table is swivelled in the center ofa pair of supporting side brackets 36 in the manner disclosed in my Patent 1,514,7 27 granted to me November 11, 1924. Suitable roll driving mechanism 18 provided, of the type well understqod in the art, and is preferably enments. Through the provision of the novel supporting frame and shoe-controlling mechanisms just described, at least one end of the ironing roll is left entirely free and acces- -,sible for inserting and guiding various small articles through the machine. Through such an arrangement, much of the cumbersome driving and control mechanisms are eliminated, and hence very little efiort is required to operate the hand and foot control.

Certain changes in the specific construction shown and described may obviously be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as defined inthe following claim.

Vhat is claimed is:

In an ironing machine, the combination with a roll, a shoe arranged to be moved to and from coacting relation with said roll, a hand lever and a foot lever mechanism for operating the same, said foot lever mechanism including a toggle joint and a device in said toggle joint for permitting the operation of said shoe by" the hand lever without affecting the foot lever mechanism.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of March A. D., 1922.

v CHARLES E. REDDIG. 

